Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Crutch

Crutch (kruch; 224) , noun

[Old English crucche, Anglo-Saxon crycc, cricc; akin to Dutch kruk, German krucke, Danish krykke, Swedish krycka, and to English crook. See Crook, and compare Cricket a low stool.]

1.
A staff with a crosspiece at the head, to be placed under the arm or shoulder, to support the lame or infirm in walking.
I'll lean upon one crutch, and fight with the other. — Shakespeare
Rhyme is a crutch that lifts the weak alone. — H. Smith
2.
A form of pommel for a woman's saddle, consisting of a forked rest to hold the leg of the rider.
3.
(a) (Nautical) A knee, or piece of knee timber
(b)
(Nautical) A forked stanchion or post; a crotch. See Crotch.

Crutch , transitive verb

To support on crutches; to prop up. [Rare]
Two fools that crutch their feeble sense on verse. — Dryden